Warriors Trades to Consider After 1st Wave of NBA Free Agency

Free agency has been tough for the Golden State Warriors.

While they scored a potentially big bargain when signing Donte DiVincenzo, they also watched key contributors Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. walk out the door. Even if those absences were somewhat expected (more so Porter than Payton), the absences sting the same.

The defending-champion Dubs might just be looking to fill minor roles at this point, but it's possible the front office could opt to tackle something bigger on the trade market.

Going All-In for Kevin Durant

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Trade Idea: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole and future first-round pick to Nets for Kevin Durant and Seth Curry

While Durant's exit from the Warriors in 2019 had its awkward moments, it apparently didn't burn any bridges. Multiple sources told The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II that if Golden State could bring Durant back, the locker room would welcome him with open arms.

"I mean, it's freaking Kevin Durant," a source told Thompson.

That's the crux of this entire conversation. You could easily make the argument the Dubs don't need Durant. However, it'd be just as easy to suggest the champs would be better off by rostering one of the greatest scorers this league has ever seen.

The cost would (obviously) be massive, but again, you're talking about an all-time great who hasn't lost a step. If the Warriors could also manage to sneak Seth Curry into the deal, they'd help offset some of the second-team firepower they'd be sending out.

Swapping Potential for Established Production

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Trade Idea: James Wiseman to Thunder for Kenrich Williams, Derrick Favors and future first-round pick

Wiseman believers won't like this deal, because it would hardly align with the grandiose visions that bounced around when the Warriors made him the No. 2 pick of the 2020 draft.

But if it puts Golden State in a better position to defend its crown, it would be hard for anyone to gripe.

The Warriors don't know what they have with Wiseman, and the mystery-box appeal is part of the fun when making such an early pick. However, with a championship core mostly in their 30s, Golden State might want security more than upside. This isn't a sexy incoming package by any stretch, but it could prove a functional one.

Williams is a plug-and-play option for the frontcourt, with the defense and long-distance shooting needed to handle a supporting gig. Favors has the length, strength and interior play to provide a physical presence in the paint. Both would be rotation regulars next season, and the future first-rounder could be used as a trade chip or a means to add someone else to the young core.

Snagging a Stopper

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Trade Idea: Moses Moody to 76ers for Matisse Thybulle and two future second-round picks

The Warriors could be in the market for a lockdown defender after letting Payton walk.

While they could entrust a young player with filling that void, they might also consider making a move to cover it with a more established player.

Why not Thybulle? Sure, his offensive issues torpedoed his floor time in the playoffs, but the Warriors might have the shooting depth to work around that. Besides, they faced a similar crunch with Payton (a career 32.0 percent three-point shooter) and found ways to use him offensively as a screener, cutter and finisher. Maybe Thybulle (career 32.4 percent) could do the same.

If the Warriors aren't convinced Moody is ready for an expanded role—he mostly handled mop-up duty in the postseason—they could be drawn to a plug-and-play defensive stopper and draft capital.